New Fish in Old Ponds

Did you ever wish your favorite fishing hole was just a hop and a skip away? That wish is a reality for many Kentucky landowners, because their favorite fishing spot is as near as their own farm pond.

Maybe you have a pond but it's not exactly the place you want to go fishing. Perhaps it's full of vegetation or you just never seem to get a bite. Such is not the case with farm pond owners who've taken advantage of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources' (KDFWR) fisheries technical guidance program.

I can hear it now --"Yes, sir. There's some mighty good fishin' in my pond. Why, there's some really big ol' bass and channel cats in there. And the bluegill ain't nothin' to shake a stick at."

The best part about this little scenario is, it's true -- or can be. A well-managed farm pond produces good fishing.

If you've constructed a new pond on your farm and want to establish a good fishery, or if you've noticed things just aren't right in an old pond, help is available from the fish and wildlife department's fisheries division.

To apply, first contact the state conservation officer in your county. The officer will get all the necessary information from you and may visit your farm pond. He or she then gives the information, along with your request for technical guidance, to the district fisheries biologist responsible for your county.

The biologist will schedule a time to study the information and evaluate your pond before making any recommendations. Sometimes electroshocking the fish in your pond is necessary to determine just what the problems are. Electroshocking is a routine fish-study method which momentarily stuns fish and brings them to the surface where they can be netted and placed in a live well for examination. Sometimes the best remedy for an old pond is to remove all the fish and start over.

Based on the findings, the biologist will make specific recommendations for improving or stocking your farm pond.

Good farm pond management really begins before a pond is in place. If you're planning to construct a new pond, consider contacting your district fisheries biologist for tips on the best location, shape of the basin and pond depth.

New ponds may be stocked, or old ones (with all fish removed) restocked with largemouth bass and bluegill and, if desired, channel catfish. These fish are available from the KDFWR for a $25 fee. All of the "new" fish are fingerling size, that is one to three inches long. Bluegill and channel catfish are usually released in the fall, with largemouth bass added the following May. With the correct balance of these species and good management, you can maintain optimal fishing opportunities in your farm pond.

Applications and fees for the farm pond stocking program must be received at the fish and wildlife department by October 1 each year. Applicants get prior notification of the time and place the KDFWR will deliver fish to a county. The delivery point is usually a central location in the county and each pond owner is responsible for pick up and release of fish. The fingerlings are delivered in boxes with stocking instructions printed on the outside.

Rumor Persists
Pond owners, who obtain fisheries technical guidance or participate in the farmpond management program, are not obligated in any way to allow public fishing. This is one rumor that simply won't die. You don't have to welcome the world to your farm pond just because the KDFWR stocked it. Although private landowners are encouraged to give responsible anglers permission to fish, the landowner has the final say on who may enter his or her property.

About half of all Kentucky anglers enjoy fishing farm ponds on a regular basis. Part of the reason is because many pond owners are willing to share their fishing enjoyment with other anglers.

Remember that statewide size and creel limits apply to fish caught from farm ponds as well as lakes, rivers and streams. Check the current Kentucky sport fishing guide for details. Additionally, farm ponds may have special fishing regulations permitted by the fisheries division for specific management purposes.

Farm Ponds and Trophy Fish Kentucky farm ponds have produced many keepers through the ye A large percentage of all certified trophy fish entered in the KDFWR's Trophy Fish/Master Angler Program are taken from ponds. (Fish eligible for the program may be harvested by pole and line from any Kentucky waters except pay lakes. )

The KDFWR began the award program to give recognition to more anglers in Kentucky who catch big fish but whose lunker won't make the state record fish list. More than 1,000 fish of various species have qualified for trophy status since the program's inception in 1987.

A complete list of eligible fish species and minimum length requirements for the Trophy Fish/Master Angler program appears in the "1995 Kentucky Sport Fishing Guide." Applications are available by writing Trophy Fish Program, Fisheries Division, 21 Game Farm Road, Frankfort, KY 40601, or call (502) 564-3596, weekdays, 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Eastern.